God's Wrath vs. His Love

Now, obviously the title is not suggesting that the two concepts are in contention, but what I want us to look at is how the two items interact with one another. Do they contradict? Are they opposed to each other? Is one greater than the other? These are the kinds of things we are going to examine.

First, let’s define the two: God’s wrath is the fierce, holy anger that burns against unrighteousness, a result of divine justice. God’s holiness demands perfection. Anything less is a violation of that holiness. God’s love is very broad, but we are looking at it terms of mercy and kindness. Let’s now look at some instances that rage with God’s wrath:

• · Sodom and Gomorrah: Where God’s wrath burned against the flagrant wickedness in the cities. He totally destroyed them!
• · Against Israel: Their idolatry had gone to far, and God would now allow his chosen nation to be overtaken by foreigners
• · Against Adam and Eve: They had done the ONE thing commanded of them not to do, and so they were banished by a fiercely holy God
• · Against Cain: He had slain his brother after becoming consumed with jealousy, and so he was made a fugitive and a wanderer

Now for some instances that ooze of God’s love:

• · The Cross! – Where God saved undeserving sinners. Enough said
• · Leading his people out of Egypt – the dominant theme in the Old Testament of God’s faithfulness to his people
• · In giving Abraham and Sarah a son – again, God made a promise and fulfilled it, showing his steadfast love for his people and in so doing created the nation of Israel

These are definitive moments in Scripture of God’s love and his wrath, seemingly highlighting the one attribute so much that the other seems far removed from the picture. However, this would be false, for the two attributes of God are perfect and infinite. There is not an occasion in Scripture where God’s love is shown off without an equal display of his justice. Let’s look again at the preceding examples:

• · Sodom and Gomorrah: Though his wrath is made known in their destruction, don’t forget that he delivered Lot and his family from his wrath
• · Israel: Though he allowed for its takeover, his love still burns for his people. Not only did he send his Christ (salvation is first for the Jew, then to the Gentile), but he also restored them as a nation in 1948!
• · Adam and Eve: Though it seems like God was only enacting justice in banishing them, let us not overlook the fact that had they not been banished, they would have had to live forever in their shame in a perfect land (Eden). And, of course, the Messiah came as the punctuation mark, redeeming the children of Adam
• · Cain – Again, with God’s banishment came grace; so that no one would attack him he was marked in order that his attacker should suffer 7 times the punishment of Cain
• · The Cross – Please don’t overlook the moment where Justice and Love met in perfect harmony in the most triumphant way. While God shows his love to us by “sending his only begotten Son”, remember what Christ bore on the cross – the complete wrath of God for all who would believe. That cup that Christ didn’t want to drink, well it was full of God’s wrath! That’s why
• · Out of Egypt – The most glorious event for God’s people B.C. was marred by their wandering in the wilderness because of their sin. Not even Moses made it to the promised land.
• · Finally, Abraham and Sarah – Though God gave them a son, Isaac, there was another son, Ishmael. To this day Christians feel the heat from Abraham’s sin of not trusting that God will provide – this is the very son to whom Muslims trace their origin.

In conclusion, God’s love and mercy is always paired with his justice and wrath. One might say they accentuate each other – sounds a little flippant to say it like that, though it’s certainly true. In other words, God always does what glorifies him the most, and he always perfectly accomplishes things to that end. Juxtaposing his Mercy and Wrath therefore glorifies God more than just showing the fire of his wrath or the depth of his love alone. The good side of that is that our greatest good is God’s greatest glory. This is a lot to take down I’m sure, but hopefully the point is clear.